New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-28
THE TUACKERAY LETTERS.


IN these days Of note paper and postal cards
We are tempted to despair of the beautiful ant
of letter writing as ono OF the lost accomplish
ments Friendship Is content to scribble few
broken septenccs on twelve square inches OF
Irish linen or pcrchance to rattle its messages
of sympathy on a type writer. The post has
no more to do with carrying poetry, sentiment,
kindness wit, humor; it is turned into ma
chino for the transaction OF business with
brevity and expedition. Even the man oil
books and the pen, who is confidential in his
verses and delightful in his essays feels the
pressure of the changed fashion, and grows
dull in his private epistles. We can recall
great deal of correspondence Of favorite mod
ern authors which We wish had never been
printed. But once in a whilo some treasure
comes to light and dspcls all our mlsgWngs:
If lcttcr-writing is no longer carefully studied
as part of every cultivated persons equip
mcnt for society-studicd as it used to be from
the DAYS of Pope and Wapole to tho time oil
Sydney Smith and Lamb, and even gcncrauos
latcr-there are still great masters OF the charm
ing practice TO which friendship owes some OF
It's choice privileges and English literature
some of it's brightest pages.
1t is no news that Thackeray was one OF the
best of all lettcr-writcrs, but so few OF his
familiar cpstcs have hitherto got into print that
the publication just begun in 'Scrlbncrs Mag
azinc" will rank rs a literary event, parallel In
importance, and possibly equal in interest. 10
the appearance Of the letters OF Charles DICK
ems. Both sets Of correspondence arc strongly
significant of character Dickens showed n
peniality which was never without sub-ilavor
Of sclfindulgcnce, and an cxubcrancc of humor
which anonymously suggested the calculation
Of effect. lie wrote with such an ovcrullng
dramatic instinct that even in his most fcryid
moments Of friendship he could not escape the
theatrical. Instead OF revealing his pnVa'e
life and feelings. the letters left us with the
impression that his life and feelings were al
public When We think now OF Tiny lin or
the murder of Nancy, we seem to see the pop
ular reader arranging his stage before the
audience rush in, and giving particular dIrcc-
tions TO the gasman for lighting up the emo
tons As literary art, the letters arc on
par with the novels, and many OF them are
unsurpassed by any cpstolary constructions oil
this century. With Thackcray lcttcr-writng
was not so much an art a. natural git. Leu
us say rather that there was no conscious
artihcc in these products OF yagIant pen
hut if art is the best expression OF beautiful
thought, We cr,ainly cannot deny that cWthct
10 the simple and touching sentences IN winch
n lovely nature unwittingly displays itself.
There is a plenty Of fun, aulacity sometimes,
and kindly criticism but above all there Is
manly tenderness with affection and simplicity.
No sensitive person ever read Thackcray
u he
writer for these qualities. No ono can miss
feeling them in the newly published letters TO
Mr.. and Mrs BroohGcld. Those now before
us cover the period when be was writing
q Vanity Fair" and "Pcndcnnis,' and just
rising into fame but they indicate no I'M
maturity Of character and there arc pas ages
in them which might serve rs n key TO all that
was most attractive in his life. Why should
we hate and undcrvauc this world, he asks
" What we see here is but an expression OF
Gods will, so to spea<-a beautiful earth, and
sky. and sca-bcautiful affections and soTows.
wonderful changes and Developments oil
creation, suns rising. stars shining
birds singing, clouds and SHADOWS
changing and fading, people loving
each other, smiling, and crying, the multiplied
phenomena Of Nature. multiplied in fact and
fancy. in Art and Science, in every way that
\ mans intellect or education or Imagination
can bc brought 90 bear. And who is TO say
that VIC arc TO ignore all this. or not value
them and love them because there is another
unknown world yet to come 7" Let us leave
the future TO the disposal Of the awful Father
and for the present let us enjoy, and be thank
full and trust, and love. That is the whole Of
Thackcray's philosophy. the last words Of
which are always trust and love. JIG has
curiously acute remark upon boy-ch in
chapel. "ThcSc pretty brats with sweet in
noccnt voices and white robes sing quite
cclcstially; no, not cclcstially, for ! don't be
lcvc it is devotion at all, but high delight |
out Of which one comes, not impuriiicd, / hope |
but with thankful, pleased, gentle frame Of
mind" SO it was with his life lie took n |
high delight in all that was honest, and hcauti |
full, and unscfsh and pure, the fair face Of the |
world, the love of a friend, the thought Of a |
noble deed and out Of 1t he came with |
thankful, pleased, gentle frame of mind, which |
blcsses all who love his books.
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